Fertiliser-laden vessels stuck in Jamuna for 'overloading'
A dozen being unloaded with the help of lighters
Lighter vessels are being used to unload fertiliser from around 15 stranded fertiliser-laden vessels at Char Shafulla in Bera upazila under the district as movement of vessels in the Jamuna is disturbed due to navigability problem.
A few other stranded vessels, unloaded with the help of lighters during the last few days, have been able to move away, sources said.
BIWTA officials, however, attributed the problem to overloading of vessels.
Navigability problem is no longer 'so serious' as water level in the Jamuna is on rise now, they said.
There is nearly eight feet draft water everywhere on Paturia-Baghabari route in the Jamuna but most of the vessels are carrying over nine feet draft loads and the overloaded vessels often get stuck, they said.
“The vessels are officially allowed to carry 6.5 to 7 feet draft loads in this time on Paturia-Baghabari route while vessels loaded with eight feet draft can easily move there. But most of the vessels are carrying 9.5 to 10 feet draft loads, making them unable to ply smoothly on this river route,” BIWTA Deputy General Manager (DGM) Md Joynal Abedin said over phone yesterday.
Around 12/15 vessels including MV Zoo Garden, MV Modinar Path, MV Shahnewaz, MV Al Rumi, MV Queen and Moon, MV Hira-Parbat, MV Shahin are using lighter vessels to unload their goods at Char Shafulla to carry it to Baghabari port, sources said.
Unloading with lighters adds to the transport cost, they said.
The vessels owners often carry additional loads to get more profit, Baghabari port officer Md Abdur Razzak said over phone.
Asked about the navigability problem, he said, "We have surveyed different areas of the river and requested BIWTA to conduct dredging to make the river route smooth. They had conducted dredging work in last month but the work has remained stopped this month."
BIWTA officials claimed that they conduct dredging work without any delay if there is any need.
“The BIWTA has set up dredging machine in the Jamuna River to keep navigation smooth on Paturia-Baghabari route. If the river water level comes bellow eight feet we rush to dredge that spot to keep the navigability smooth. As there is 8 to 8.5 feet draft at every point of the river, there is no need to dredge now,” said BIWTA DGM Md Joynul Abedin.
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